1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to slide-out compartments of a recreational vehicle. More particularly, the present invention is related to apparatus associated with preventing water intrusion into the interior compartment of the main body of the recreational vehicle through the space formed through the side wall of the recreational vehicle and the slide-out compartment.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
In order increase the available interior space of recreational vehicles, such as trailers, including those commonly referred to as “fifth wheels”, slide-out rooms can be made integral with the vehicle. During transit, these rooms can be retracted and stored in the vehicle's interior. The exterior wall of the slide-out compartment is approximately flush with the exterior of the vehicle. In order to use the slide-out compartment, the vehicle is first parked and leveled. The slide-out compartment is then slid outwardly from the vehicle so as to increase the interior space of the vehicle.
A problem with slide-out compartments is that during transit and under adverse conditions such as rain, sleet or snow, water tends to leak into the interior of the vehicle in the area between the slide-out compartment and the side wall of the vehicle. Water can even leak into the vehicle when the vehicle is being stored in inclement weather.
Water intrusion into the interior of the main body of the recreational vehicle is a common complaint by recreational vehicle owners. A variety of techniques have been attempted in the past in order to prevent such water intrusion. Unfortunately, these techniques have proven to be ineffective. For example, awnings have been extended over the top wall of these slide-out compartment so as to prevent water from directly hitting the top wall and draining into the interior of the vehicle. Unfortunately, these awnings do not successfully prevent water intrusion through the space between the end wall of the slide-out compartment and the opening of the main body of the vehicle. Additionally, when wind and rain occur, the wind can blow the water between the spaces between the awning and the top wall of the slide-out compartment.
In other circumstances, rubber flaps can extend from the side wall of the recreational vehicle so as to press against the top wall of the slide-out compartment. Unfortunately, these rubber flaps or gaskets often fail to completely seal the opening between the top wall and the side wall of the vehicle. In certain circumstance, they often tend to create a “funnel” effect so as to direct water into the interior of the recreational vehicle. These rubber brackets tend to become worn over time and become ineffective.
Continued water intrusion into the interior compartment of the recreational vehicle can create mold and other damage to the interior of the vehicle. The presence of black mold caused by such liquid intrusion can often result in lawsuits against recreational vehicle manufacturers and distributors. In certain circumstances, the liquid intrusion can also ruin electronic equipment stored in the vicinity of the slide-out compartments. As such, a strong need has occurred in order to prevent liquid intrusion into the interior of the recreational vehicle.
In the past, various patent have issued relating to slide-out compartments of recreational vehicle and ways of preventing liquid intrusion therein. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,056 issued on Dec. 15, 1992 to Faludy et al., describes a retractable awning for a slide-out unit of a mobile home. This retractable awning includes an awning sheet that is secured along an inner edge to the side of the mobile home with the opposite edge being secured to a torsionally-biased roll bar rotatably disposed on the outer ends of support arms pivotally mounted to the outer face of the slide-out unit. A flexible tie-down strap secures the awning in an extended position with the support arms projecting substantially horizontally away from the outer wall. Upon release of the tie-down strap, the awning automatically retracts to a position immediately adjacent to the outer wall of the slide-out unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,782, issued on Aug. 24, 1993 to D. R. Cooper, describes a slidable room assembly having an improved slide-out assembly and an improved liquid sealing assembly at an interface between an opening in the recreational vehicle and an exterior wall of the slide-out room. The slide-out assembly includes a stationary main frame assembly having a pair of support members held in a fixed parallel relationship, a single transmission mechanism fixedly interposed between the support members, and a slidable support assembly slidably retained in the pair of support members for extending and contracting the room. The liquid sealing assembly is disposed around the interface between the slidable room and the opening in the recreational vehicle's exterior wall. A first flange member is affixed to a top edge and side edges of the slidable room's exterior wall. The flange member includes adjacent protrusions for inhibiting the flow of liquid therebetween when the slidable room is fully retracted into the recreational vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,373, issued on Jul. 28, 1998 to Futrell et al., teaches a recreational vehicle with a slide-out room. A longitudinal skid pad assembly supports the inside of the room on the floor of the motor home. Latches on the side walls of the motor home engage anchors secured to the floor of the motor home to retain the room in the retracted position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,440, issued on Jan. 19, 1999 to Murray et al., shows a retractable awning that can be used on mobile homes having a slide-out units. The awning is mounted on the side of the vehicle and has longitudinally extensible support arms that support a roll bar having the outer edge of an awning sheet secured thereto with the inner edge being secured to the side wall of the vehicle. The awning is movable between a retracted position adjacent to the side wall of the vehicle and an extended position with the support arms being biased toward their extended position with internal gas springs so that the initial movement of the awning from the retracted to the extended position allows the support arms to automatically longitudinally extend so as to provide a large arc for the roll bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,568, issued on Jan. 11, 2005 to Carrillo et al., provides a slide-out room and awning assembly for a recreational vehicle. The assembly includes a roll enclosure for attachment to an exterior side wall of the vehicle, a roll rotationally journalled within the roll enclosure, a slide-out room for extension from the exterior side wall, an elongated trough attached to the slide-out room, and an awning fabric attached at a proximate edge to the roll and attached at a distal edge to the elongated trough. When the slide-out room is in a retracted position, the awning fabric is wrapped around the roll. When the slide-out room is in an extended position, the awning fabric is extended from the roll over a top wall of the slide-out room at a downward slope from the roll to the trough such that debris and liquid flow into the trough.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a weather proofing assembly for a slide-out compartment of a recreational vehicle which effectively prevents water intrusion into the interior compartment of the main body of the recreational vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a weather proofing assembly which neatly retracts and extends with the movement of the slide-out compartment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a weather proofing assembly which employs a minimal number of mechanical mechanisms.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a water proofing assembly which is easy to install, to easy manufacture and relatively inexpensive.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.